Points system to reduce low-skilled EU migrants by 90,000 each year

MINISTERS will today sign off plans for a points-based immigration system that could slash the number of low-skilled workers from the EU by 90,000 a year.

Boris Johnson will use the first meeting of his new Cabinet to ask them to approve the replacement to free movement.

Mr Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel are understood to have agreed the framework of a system, due to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

It will close the route for lowskilled migrants – though shortterm visas will be considered for professions hit by shortages.

In most cases, skilled workers will have to have a job offer paying more than £25,600.

They will also earn ‘points’ for how well they speak English.

Home Office analysis suggests it will cut the number of EU migrants each year by 90,000, all low-skilled. Recent figures show 200,000 EU citizens a year come to the UK under free movement, so the plans could see this figure almost halved.

The new points-based system, to be introduced on January 1 next year, will apply whether migrants are coming from the EU or the rest of the world.

The salary threshold is lower than the £30,000 that applies to migrants outside the EU.

Privately, ministers acknowledge this will contribute to an increase in skilled migrants. But they believe this will be offset by the fall in the low-skilled. The Home Office will focus on introducing the ‘simple’ system at the start of next year then spend 2021 considering refinements.